Home again

Well, we didn't get to that pizza joint - we did a tasty chain called GoRoma, which had something for everyone (and was very close by when all of our stomachs decided it was TIME). There was pizza available, and Isaac loved it. Bella had two servings of the Ravioli - that girl is going through a growth spurt - every morning she's got a little more height and a bit more sparkle in her eyes.

Tuesday we hit our favorite breakfast place on earth - The Palatine Inn - and saw some family. Bella and I had some Gyros for lunch (well, I did - she had chicken), and back off to the book shop for espresso, cocoa, and reading. In the evening we saw Rick, Kari, Bailey, and Ty for PF Changs: We had a gift certificate so we surprised them by treating... Isaac was home with Bam, and Bella was passing out in the restaurant (the collective action has wiped her out) so it was an early night.

Today we headed home after a Portillo's run (soooooo good) and the 6.5 hours passed like, well, 6.5 hours. Isaac only slept 1 hour, but was only really mad at the world for one hour too, so there were 4.5 hours of the kids relatively pacified watching scooby doo episodes almost non-stop.

We bade farewell to the rented minivan (with help from a friend), and re-settled.

Isaac was so happy to be home, he ran around the house like a maniac, stopping at his favorite things (living room table, fish tank), patting them and laughing. When I put him into his crib, he jumped around yelling "Ah-DAH-dah-da-DAH!!!" There was no mistaking his utter joy at being back in home base.

Bella had her "serene" smile on from the moment we walked in, and was happy to have stories for bed again (in Palatine, we stayed in one big room, so we kept quiet at Bella's bedtime to not wake Isaac).

The week will end on a busy note: A possible VERY strategic placement cooked up early in the week out in Philly, and I'm going out tomorrow night late to attend the Friday morning meetings to seal the deal: Literally out of state for 24 hours total. The weekend brings a poker party to celebrate a friend's 40th, and a re-do on the visit from Bella's birth family (since the last try was scotched by illness).

So it's good to be home: I will miss my delicious Chicago food, but I feel like I really ate my way around. I'll be at Step tomorrow at 6am working off the insult I've inflicted upon myself!